Why Jeremie Boga could be a handy signing for West Ham

According to the Daily Star, West Ham have been linked with a move for former Chelsea academy prospect Jeremie Boga, who currently plies his trade with Sassuolo in the Italian Serie A. 

Premier League rivals Everton and Italian giants Napoli have also been credited with an interest in the 23-year-old, who has caught the eye with a host of impressive displays in the Serie A this season. (h/t Daily Star)

As per the report, West Ham are in the winter market for some reinforcements, with David Moyes tasked with the job of steering the Hammers clear of the relegation zone.

The Marseille-born attacking midfielder spent six years in the youth system at Stamford Bridge but he made only a solitary first-team appearance for Chelsea following his promotion to the first-team ranks. 

Boga’s time in West London was marked by loan spells at Rennes in France, Granada in the La Liga and Birmingham City in the EFL Championship before the 23-year-old eventually sealed a permanent transfer to Sassuolo in the summer of 2018, with Chelsea retaining a buy-back clause in the transfer agreement. 

Back in December, a report from the Daily Mail claimed that Chelsea were exploring the possibility of bringing Boga back to Stamford Bridge in January for a fee of  £3.5million. 

Boga has progressed by leaps and bounds at Sassuolo since his departure from Chelsea and has evolved into a quality playmaker in the Serie A, registering 7 goals and 3 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions. 

As per Whoscored, Boga boasts of a pass success rate of 85%, including a staggering 4.2 dribbles and 0.8 key passes per game in the Serie A this term, figures which speak volumes of his creativity, flawless passing in the final third and proficiency in beating defenders. 

Meanwhile, West Ham crumbled to their first defeat under David Moyes on Friday night as the Hammers went down 1-0 to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Having scored just 25 goals and conceded as many as 33 in 21 games so far, West Ham’s problems at both ends of the pitch have been well-documented. 

With Declan Rice and Mark Noble the only viable options in the middle of the park, the club’s lack of depth in central midfield has been a major reason behind their undoing this season.

Despite having forked out a fortune to bring in Sebastien Haller and Pablo Fornals this past summer, West Ham have found themselves bereft of creativity and goals in the final third, and Moyes surely needs to find a way to put an end to the club’s attacking woes. 

The likes of Felipe Anderson, Andriy Yarmolenko, Fornals and Manuel Lanzini just haven’t done enough in the creative department and bringing in a new attacking midfielder would certainly go a long way towards increasing competition for places in the ranks. 

Jeremie Boga didn’t really get a crack of the whip at Chelsea to prove his mettle in the Premier League but his impressive numbers in Italy suggest that the 23-year-old has the raw materials to excel in English football. 

Verdict

A versatile attacking midfielder capable of playing in a No.10 role behind the striker and also out wide on either flank, Boga might not be amongst the household names in Europe but he could well be the man to solve West Ham’s attacking woes. 

Plus, the Ivorian international also has plenty of room for development at 23 and Moyes, who worked wonders with young talents during his managerial stint at Everton, will surely fancy his chances of getting the best out of Boga. 

More West Ham News

• Why West Ham should keep hold of Issa Diop amidst Tottenham interest
• Why Stanislav Lobotka to West Ham United would be a good move
• Why Nemanja Maksimovic would be an excellent signing for West Ham

All in all, West Ham completing a move for Jeremie Boga in January could be a shrewd piece of business and one that might pay off handsomely in their bid for survival in the Premier League.